Oz

 

Our time in Australia is coming to an end tomorrow.  We’ve had a great time exploring the country/continent and were so happy to have El Diablo with us before he left the department and to have Pablo come to visit. 

Our weekends took us to the Great Barrier Reef (one more Natural Wonder off the list- just 4 more to go) and to the Outback.  We drank wonderful Aussie wines in Hunter Valley and spent an entire day riding along the gorgeous Great Ocean Road.  It is a beautiful and vast country with so much to offer- far too much to see in 8 weeks.

We were lucky enough to get sent to New Zealand where I fell in love with the Maori culture and where we were both in awe of glowing maggot butts.

Sydney itself didn’t really win me over, but I think that’s because it reminded me so much of an American city, albeit a pretty one.  I don’t know what I was expecting- Kangaroos hopping down the street? Men wrestling crocodiles in the alleys? Koalas noshing on blooming onions before their main course of eucalyptus?  I don’t know.  I liked it here, I just didn’t fall in love the way I expected.

Sydney really has a lot to offer, but I think it’s just missing a distinct vibe and that is what I’m always looking for in a city- something in the air that just makes you want to be a part of everything.  Maybe if I were a surfer or sailor I would have felt differently.

We’re capping off our time here tonight with a dinner cruise around the harbor which I think will be a lovely end to our trip.

Tomorrow we trade in kangaroos for lions.

Well, not immediately as we’re taking a few days to ourselves, but by Tuesday night we’ll be in South Africa.